Praggnanandhaa, the 19-year-old Indian chess grandmaster, has made headlines with his stunning victory over world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Las Vegas. Praggnanandhaa defeated Carlsen in just 39 moves, showcasing his exceptional skill and strategy. In this article we bring you everything that you want to know about Pragganandhaa. Lets know more about Praggnanandhaa Age, Height, Bio, Wiki, Affairs, Facts & More
Praggnanandhaa Age, Height, Bio, Wiki, Affairs, Facts & More
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, affectionately known as Pragg, is a 19-year-old Indian chess grandmaster who’s been making waves globally with his exceptional skills. Born on August 10, 2005, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Praggnanandhaa started playing chess at just five years old and became an International Master at 10 years and 10 months, the youngest ever at that time.
Achievements
Youngest Grandmaster: Praggnanandhaa became a Grandmaster at 12 years and 10 months old, a feat that showcases his incredible talent.
Defeating Magnus Carlsen: He’s defeated the World Champion, Magnus Carlsen, multiple times in rapid chess tournaments, including the Chessable Masters and FTX Crypto Cup.
Tata Steel Chess Masters: In January 2023, Praggnanandhaa participated in the Tata Steel Chess Masters, defeating Ding Liren, a 2800-rated grandmaster.
World Rankings: Praggnanandhaa’s peak rating reached 2779, ranking him World No. 4 in July 2025.
Chess Style
Praggnanandhaa’s playing style is characterized by
Aggressive Approach: He plays aggressively, always looking for new ways to attack.
Deep Understanding: Pragg has a deep grasp of the game, enabling him to play both positional and tactical chess with equal skill.
Risk-Taker: He’s not hesitant to take risks, making his games exciting to watch.
Personal Life
Family Support: Praggnanandhaa’s family, particularly his parents, Rameshbabu and Nagalakshmi, and his sister, Vaishali (also a chess grandmaster), have been instrumental in his success.
Interests: Apart from chess, Pragg enjoys playing the guitar and reading novels during his free time.
Recognition: Praggnanandhaa received the Arjuna Award in 2022 and was named CNN-News18 Indian of the Year (Sports) in 2023.
Recent Performances
Grand Chess Tour Superbet Chess Classic Romania: Praggnanandhaa won the tournament in May 2025, scoring 5.5/9.
Stepan Avagyan Memorial: He finished second in the tournament in June 2025, scoring 6.5/9.
2nd UzChess Cup 2025: Praggnanandhaa won the tournament in blitz-tiebreaks and signed with Dutch esports club Team Liquid.